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Binding of Isaac Main text: Genesis 21:1-3; 22:1-14 Accompanying text: John 1:29 What is more precious to us than our children? The story of the binding of Isaac challenges us to trust God with even...

Creation by the Word Main text:  Genesis 1:1-2:4a Accompanying text: John 1:1-5 What this passage means to us First things first. Both the Hebrew and the Greek words traditionally translated...

The Narrative Lectionary follows a four year cycle, and this year we move into the final year of the lectionary. Those of you who have used the Narrative Lectionary before will know that each year the...

We really enjoy producing the sermon resources for the Narrative lectionary, but unfortunately due to Covid-19, our workload has increased significantly. We hope to be able to get back to producing...

God works through Joseph Main text: Genesis 37:3-8, 17b-22, 26-34; 50:15-21 Accompanying text: Luke 6:35 Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, the sermon resource for this week is not yet currently...

God’s Promise to Abraham Main text: Genesis 15:1-6 Accompanying text: Luke 3:8 Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, the sermon resource for this week is not currently available. We are streaming...

Creation and Fall Main text: Genesis 2:4b-7, 15-17; 3:1-8 Accompanying text: Luke 11:4 Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, the sermon resource for this week is not currently available. We are streaming...

You shall be my witnesses Main text: Acts 1:1-14 Accompanying text: Mark 6:7-13 Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, the sermon resource for this week is not currently available. We are streaming services...

Resurrection Main text: Mark 16:1-8 Accompanying text: Psalm 118:21-27 What this passage means to us In the arguments that surround where Mark 16 should end, sometimes it’s easy to forget the...

Crucifixion Main text: Mark 15:16-39 Accompanying text: Psalm 22:1-2, 14-21 What this passage means to us Imagine, if you will, that you are an early first century Christian. All you have are the...

Great Commandment Main text: Mark 12:28-44 Accompanying text: Psalm 89:1-4 What this passage means to us Have you ever thought about what it was like to be a scribe or a Pharisee? We are all aware of...

Parable of the Tenants (Taxes to Caesar) Main text: Mark 12:1-12 [13-17] Accompanying text: Psalm 86:8-13 What this passage means to us This was one of the most pointed of Jesus’ parables, and the...

Bartimaeus Healed Main text: Mark 10:32-52 Accompanying text: Psalm 34:11-14 What this passage means to us Of all the Gospel writers Mark in particular uses repeatedly the phrase, “The Son of...

First Last and Last First Main text: Mark 10:17-31 Accompanying text: Psalm 19:7-10 What this passage means to us Sometimes, out of respect, we approach people in conventional ways. When he called...

Transfiguration Main text: Mark 8:27-9:8 Accompanying text: Psalm 27:1-4 What this passage means to us Who is Jesus? By the time we get to Mark 8 & 9 (and the companion passages in Matthew 16...

What Defiles? Main text: Mark 7:1-23 Psalm 51:1-3, 6-7 What this passage means to us This is a fascinating area of study and it informs us of more things than meets the eye initially. Matthew 15 is a...

Death of John the Baptist Main text: Mark 6:1-29 Accompanying text: Psalm 122 What this passage means to us This passage is the last time Mark records Jesus teaching specifically in a...

Jairus’ Daughter Healed Main text: Mark 5:21-43 Accompanying text: Psalm 131 What this passage means to us “Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that...

Jesus and the Gerasene Demoniac Main text: Mark 5:1-20 Accompanying text: Psalm 89:1-4 What this passage means to us “It is a great source of encouragement for followers of Jesus to remember who...

Parables in Mark Main text: Mark 4:1-34 Accompanying text: Psalm 126 What this passage means to us “As the sower fairly and indiscriminately disperses seed broadly over all his field, so does...

Jesus Heals and Teaches Main text: Mark 2:1-22 Accompanying text: Psalm 103:6-14 What this passage means to us “God’s pursuit of his people is not based on merit. It is based on our need and...

Jesus’ Ministry Begun Main text: Mark 1:21-45 Accompanying text: Psalm 103:1-5 What this passage means to us “Grace is love in action. It is undeserved and unearned. It operates not because of...

Beginning of good news Main text: Mark 1:1-20 Accompanying text: Psalm 91:9-12 Mark’s gospel account With this week’s text in the lectionary we now begin to move through the gospel of...

The Birth of Jesus Main text: Luke 2:1-14 [15-20] Accompanying text: Psalm 146:5 or Luke 1:46-55 Luke’s Gospel Although Luke was not an eyewitness to the events recorded in his gospel, he states in...

Zechariah’s Song Main Text: Luke 1:5-13 (14-25), 57-80 Accompanying text: Psalm 113 What this passage means to us “…Matthew tells the world’s best story as a very Jewish story” but Luke...

Rebuilding of the Temple Main Text: Ezra 1:1-4; 3:1-4, 10-13 Accompanying text: Luke 2:25-32 What this passage means to us “The strong sense of continuity between Ezra 3 and the building of the...

Isaiah of the Exile Main Text: Isaiah 40:1-11 Accompanying text: Mark 1:1-4 What this passage means to us The opening words of Isaiah 40 in the King James version of the Bible brings to mind Part I of...

Promise of the Messiah Main Text: Jeremiah 33:14-18 Accompanying text: Mark 8:27-29 What this passage means to us Jeremiah pointed to a new covenant that would change people from within. He understood...

Josiah’s Reforms Main Text: 2 Kings 22:1-10 (11-20); 23:1-3 Accompanying text: Luke 24:30-32 What this passage means to us At first read the story of Josiah is both encouraging and yet confusing. At...

Isaiah’s Vineyard Song Main Text: Isaiah 5:1-7; 11:1-5 Accompanying text: Mark 12:1-3 What this passage means to us Isaiah lived in an imperfect age. What should have been a time when the kingdom of...

Hosea Main Text: Hosea 11:1-9 Accompanying text: Mark 10:13-14 What this passage means to us What is the state of Christianity today in Europe? Europe used to be the bastion of the Christian faith...

Elijah at Mount Carmel Main text: 1 Kings 18:[17-19] 20-39 Optional text: Mark 9:2-4 What this passage means to us At first appearance, it can seem odd that Elijah is one of Israel’s most revered...

Kingdom Divided Main Text: 1 Kings 12:1-17, 25-29 Accompanying text: Mark 10:42-45 What this passage means to us “Europe is committing suicide. Or at least its leaders have decided to commit...

David anointed King Main Text: 2 Samuel 5:1-5; 6:1-5; Psalm 150 Accompanying text: Mark 11:8-10 What this passage means to us As we read the Old Testament stories about how priests, kings, prophets...

Ruth Main text: Ruth 1:1-17 Accompanying text: Mark 3:33-35 What this passage means to us “The book of Ruth contains a wonderful love story, which, while set in the period of the judges, contrasts...

Hear O Israel Main Text: Deuteronomy 5:1-21; 6:4-9 Accompanying text: Mark 12:28-31 What this passage means to us “The moral life is far from simple” reflects author and columnist Alexander McCall...

Moses and God’s Name Main Text: Exodus 1:8-14 [1:15–2:10]; 3:1-15 Accompanying text: Mark 12:26-27a What this passage means to us That God defines himself is crucial to our understanding of...

Jacob Wrestles with God Main Text: Genesis 32: [9-13] 22-30 Accompanying text: Mark 14:32-36 What this passage means to us When we come face to face with God, our life is turned upside down and begins...

Isaac born to Sarah Main Text: Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7 Accompanying text: Mark 10:27 What this passage means to us “Abraham was the major patriarchal person to exemplify distinctive qualities of...

Garden of Eden Main Text: Genesis 2:4b-25 Accompanying text: Mark 10:6-8 What this passage means to us This section of the Bible touches on modern themes such as human origins, the environment,...